Galvanic apparatus for the human body



(No Model.)

P. G, WILLIAMS. GALYANIG APPARATUS FOR THE HUMAN BODY.

vPmented Mar. 10,1891.

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PEROY G. \VILLIAMS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GALVANIC APPARATUS FOR THE HUMAN BODY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,857', dated March10, 1891.

i Application filed .Tune 6,1890. Serial No. 354,472. (No model.)

To tZZ whom #may concern:

Be it known that I, PERcY G. WILLIAMS, of Brooklyn, Kings county, andState of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inGalvanic Apparatus for the Human Body, of which the following is aspecification. y

The object of my improvement is to provide a simple and cheap galvanicapparatus which may be applied to the body of a human being withoutoccasioning serious inconvenience.

I will describe an apparatus embodying my improvement, and then pointout the novel features in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of anapparatus embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse sect-ion of abatterycomprised in the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the battery.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A designates a galvanic battery having a case made of sheet metal and ofrectangular form and quite flat. and thin. Of course the rectangularoutline is not essential. In this case are electrodes B C, which may bemade of zinc and carbon or other suitable materials. Any suitable liquidmaybe used in the case. The electrodes are intended to be introducedbefore the parts of the case are put together. One of them will be incommunication with the case A and the other one in connection with anelectrode or metallic button D, which is fastened to the case, butinsulated therefrom, by a washer and gasket a, of hard rubber or likematerial. The case is provided with a filling-mouth a2, having aremovable screw-stopper c3 to afford facility for introducing andremoving liquid.

On the outside of the case A a metallic switch E is arranged. This ispreferably made of a resilient strip of metal pivoted by a pin or eyelcte to the case and insulated therefrom by means of a washer and gaskete', of hard rubber orlike material. This switch is bent so as to presstightly against the case. It may be swung into a position to impingeupon theelectrode or button D, and this is the position into which it isadjusted to render the apparatus operative. Then the apparatus isnotintended to be operative, the

-wise moistened.

switch must be swung away from the electrode or button D. Preferablythere will be a boss a4 formed on the case, and the switch will beadjusted onto that when the apparatus is to be inoperative. The switchis provided with a concave cavity on the innerside near its free end, sothat itmay engage either with the boss at or with the electrode orbutton D and not be liable to accidental displacement. One side of thecase preferably has secured to it by cement or otherwise a sheet offelt. It will preferably be secured at the edges only. This is intendedto bear against the bodywhen the apparatus is in use and to become aconductor of electricity by absorbing moisture from the body or by beingother- The cement fastening it to the case must of course be such as notto pre- Vent the flow of electricity if it extends over the entiresurface of the case. At the ends of the case are loops a5 a6. rIhroughthese are inserted the ends of a strap G, the said ends being secured bystitching or otherwise to the loops. -One of the free ends of the strapGis provided with a buckle, by means of which the two ends of the strapmay be fastened together.

From the switch E an electric conductor H, here shown as made ofinsulated wire, eX- tends. This terminates in a contact-piece, which, ashere shown, consists of a piece or sheet I, of felt or like material,backed with a piece or sheet of india-rubber cloth I. This contact-pieceis intended to be applied to the body with the felt side inward. Thefelt side is to be moistened from the body or otherwise in order tobecome a conductor of electricity. This contact-piece has fastened toits ends a strap K, which may be tied around any part of the body tofasten the contactpiece thereto.

To illustrate the use of the apparatus, let us suppose that it is to beused for transmitting a current between the waist and one of the thighsof a person. The battery may be placed against any part of the waist andfastened by passing the strap G around the waist and uniting its ends.The contact-piece I will be fastened to the thigh in any desiredposition by passing the` strap K around the thigh and tying its ends. Ifthen the switch E be adjusted onto the electrode or button D,

IOO

a current of electricity from the battery will flow through the bodybetween the battery and the contact-piece I.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- l. In a galvanic apparatus, the combination 0f a battery having afiat thin case faced 0n one side with felt or like material, a strap forfastening the battery to the body, a contactpiece, a strap for fasteningthe contact-piece to the body, and a flexible conductor extendingbetween one of the elements of the battery and the contact-piece,substantially as specified.

2. In a gal vanic apparatus, the combination of a battery havinga flatthin case, having on one side an electrode protruding through the caseand a switch for operating in connection with said electrode, a strapfor fastening the battery' to the body, a contact-piece, a strap forfastening the contact-piece to the body, and a liexible conductorextending between one of the elements of the battery and thecontact-piece, substantially as specified.

3. In a galvanic apparatus, the combination of a battery having a thinfiatcase faced on one side with felt or like material and having on theother side an electrode insulated from the case and a switch coactingwith said electrode, a strap for fastening the battery to the body, acontact-piece, a strap for fastening the contact-piece to the body, andatlexible conductor extending between one of the elements of the batteryand the contact-piece, substantially as specified.

4. In a'galvanic apparatus, the combination of a battery having a atthin case A, a protruding electrode D, insulated therefrom, a boss a4, aswitch E, having a concave recess near the free end for engaging withthe electrode or with said boss.l a strap for fastening the battery tothe body, a contact-piece, a strap for fastening the contact-piece tothe body, and a exible conductor extending between one of the elementsof the battery and 45 the contact-piece, substantially as specified.

PERCY G. VILLIAB'IS.v

.Vitnesses:

S. O. EDMoNDs, XVM. M. ILIFF.

